Method and apparatus for manufacturing and transporting composite preforms

Abstract

A braided product ring apparatus utilizes combinations of movable ring sections and/or keystone sections to modify the braided product ring apparatus during production or to remove a braided product such as a composite preform from the braided product ring apparatus. Various methods for using the braided product ring apparatus are also set forth.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A braided product ring apparatus of comprising:
 two or more ring sections; 
 two or more inner web portions corresponding to the two or more ring sections, the two or more inner web portions extending inward toward a center of the braided product ring apparatus; 
 at least one pivot mechanism movably coupling the two or more ring sections; 
 a keystone section movably coupled with two of the two or more ring sections, the keystone section configured to displace inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus; 
 the two or more ring sections configured to rotate about the at least one pivot mechanism on displacement of the keystone section; 
 a keystone section configured to transition from being aligned with the two of the two or more ring sections to being located inward of the two or more ring sections; 
 the braided product ring apparatus including a removal diameter when the keystone section is displaced inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus which is smaller than a production diameter when the keystone is aligned with the two of the two or more ring sections; 
 a clamping mechanism that clamps at least a leader portion of the braided product; 
 an outer clamp block of the clamping mechanism; 
 an inner clamp block of the clamping mechanism, at least the outer clamp block and the inner clamp block defining a braided product gap; and 
 a movable clamp block of the clamping mechanism, the movable clamp block driven radially outward from the center of the braided product ring apparatus to secure the braided product against at least the outer clamp block and retracted radially inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus to release the braided product from the clamping mechanism. 
 
     
     
       2. A braided product ring apparatus of comprising:
 two or more ring sections; 
 two or more inner web portions corresponding to the two or more ring sections, the two or more inner web portions extending inward toward a center of the braided product ring apparatus; 
 at least one pivot mechanism movably coupling the two or more ring sections; 
 a keystone section movably coupled with two of the two or more ring sections, the keystone section configured to displace inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus; 
 the two or more ring sections configured to rotate about the at least one pivot mechanism on displacement of the keystone section; 
 a keystone section configured to transition from being aligned with the two of the two or more ring sections to being located inward of the two or more ring sections; 
 the braided product ring apparatus including a removal diameter when the keystone section is displaced inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus which is smaller than a production diameter when the keystone is aligned with the two of the two or more ring sections; 
 a keystone inner web portion of the keystone section, the keystone inner web portion defining at least two keystone displacement slots; and 
 at least two keystone slide pins configured to translate along the at least two keystone displacement slots to displace the keystone section inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. A method of preparing a composite preform, comprising:
 clamping a leader portion of a braided product used in the composite preform to a braided product ring apparatus using a clamping mechanism of the braided product ring apparatus, the braided product ring apparatus including a collapsible ring having at least two ring sections and at least one keystone section; and 
 braiding a composite preform including at least the braided product around at least the collapsible ring of the braided product ring apparatus. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 displacing one or more of the at least one keystone sections of the collapsible ring toward the center of the collapsible ring; and 
 collapsing one or more of the at least two ring sections to a removal diameter smaller than a braided product diameter. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising removing the braided product from the apparatus. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising aligning one or more locator pins of the apparatus with corresponding elements of a transport apparatus. 
     
     
       7. A braided product ring apparatus, comprising:
 two or more ring sections having two or more corresponding outer rings; 
 two or more inner web portions corresponding to the two or more ring sections, the two or more inner web portions extending inward toward a center of the braided product ring apparatus; and 
 two or more keystone sections movably coupled with two of the two or more ring sections, 
 the two or more keystone sections configured to displace inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus, 
 the two or more ring sections configured to displace inward on displacement of the two or more keystone sections, 
 the braided product ring apparatus having a production diameter when the two or more keystone sections are aligned with the two of the two or more ring sections, 
 the braided product ring apparatus having a removal diameter when the two or more keystone sections are displaced inward toward the center of the braided product ring apparatus, 
 the removal diameter is smaller than the production diameter. 
 
     
     
       8. The braided product ring apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a clamping mechanism that clamps at least a leader portion of the braided product. 
     
     
       9. The braided product ring apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a lead-in component configured to receive the leader portion of the braided product without distortion of subsequent layers of braided product. 
     
     
       10. The braided product ring apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a gap filling element configured to fill a gap between the two or more ring sections and the two or more keystone sections. 
     
     
       11. The braided product ring apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a composite preform braided around at least a circumference of the braided product ring apparatus.